New graduates face devastation after Missouri tornado

He was one of about 450 seniors to graduate from Joplin High School Sunday

The high school principal says the school looks like "it's been bombed from the outside in"

Joplin's public school district has canceled classes for the rest of the year

Joplin, Missouri (CNN) -- Like nearly every high school senior who has donned a cap and gown, Scott Lauridsen was excited.

Finally, after four years at Joplin High School, it was time to go. Graduate. Celebrate. Step up to the next stage of his young life.

"I was excited -- ready to start things new and move onto college and experience life and then all this happened," said Lauridsen, 18, one day after one of the deadliest American twisters on record ripped through his hometown of Joplin, Missouri.

And now?

"Now I'm just worried about helping out with the community and getting things back together," he said.

A recent graduate's joy: Another casualty of Sunday's terrible tornado.

Lauridsen was one of about 450 seniors to receive a diploma from Joplin High School this year. Their graduation ceremony at a local university wrapped up just as the storm started to roll in.

Students streamed out of the gymnasium and onto an open lawn as proud parents, family and friends snapped pictures -- smiling graduates against a backdrop of darkening skies. A light rain began to fall and people rushed to their cars.

Aaron Frost, another graduate, left with his girlfriend. They were headed to a restaurant to meet his family when Frost, 18, got a call from his mother.

"She pretty much demanded that we pulled over," he said. "I would have drove right into the storm. My mom pretty much saved me there."